Display device



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. S. PRBNTISS. DISPLAYDEVIGE.

(No Model.)

. H. s. PRBNTISS.

DISPLAY DEVICE.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 477,382. Patented JuneZl, 1892.

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No. 477,382. Patented June 21, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY S. PRENTISS, OF ELIZABETH, NEV JERSEY.

` DsELAY'DEi/'lcl-z.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,36 dated June 21,1892. Application filed January 20, 1891. Serial No. 378,440. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. PEENTIss, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DisplayDevices, of which Athe following.;r is a specification.

, Myinvention has reference to improvements in display devices such asare used for advertising, for station-indicators,photographexhibitors,and for numerous other purposes; and it consists,essentially, in providing the several cards or plates to besuccessivelyexposed with pintles adapted to rest lupon suitablesupporting-rails, a device for withdrawing the cards one by one from oneend of the body of the pack or series, the withdrawn card beingdelivered over the` pack or series, reversed, and received at the rearof the same,

vall of which is more fully pointed out in the following specificationand claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichlFigure l represents a vertical section in the plane oc Fig. 2, of adevice constructed according to my invention. Fig.2 is a horizontalsection thereof in the plane y y, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section lin the plane .Z z, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a front elevation with part brokenaway. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the parts being in a differentposition. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the lifting-arms of theconveying device. Fig'. 7 is a view of a modification thereof. Fig. 8 isa vertical section in the plane or', Fig. 9, Villustrating a modifiedform of the device. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section in the plane y y',Fig. 8.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, referring at present to Figs. l, 2, and 3, the letter Adesignates a suitable frame, preferably formed of two side walls rigidlyconnected.

B B are the supporting-rails formed opposite each other on the frame,upon which rails are assembled the cards C C, the latter being providedwith central pintles c c, resting upon said rails. The rails B B arepreferably inclined to cause the pack of cards to move bodily forwardwhenever the front card is removed, so as to bring the individual cardssuccessively in the same vertical plane against a suitable stop or stopsa a, which may be formed by the edges of the front of the frame A beingbent over.

'Ihe device for withdrawing one card at a time from the pack may be ofany construction suitable for the purpose. In theexample hereillustrated I have shown the said device consisting of two arms DD,turning with a rock-shaft b, mountedinthe frame A. The free ends ofthe arms are provided with laterally-projecting lips d d, passingthrough vertical slots e e in the frame, the said lips being adapted toengage with the pintles of the forward card C. The arms are in this casemade sectional and united by a springpost and socket connection to allowthe ends thereof to travel in a straight line and to permit the lips toclear the pintles on the downward stroke. Any other suitable means,however, may be provided for withdrawing one of the cards at a time. Forinstance, a slide d', guided in the slot e and connected i by a linkfwith the arms D D, can be substituted for lthe spring-socket and postconnection, or insteadof the oscillating arms a reciprocating device maybe employed to act yfrom above or below.

The motion of the withdrawing device or conveyor is limited in eitherdirection by the respective stops g and g on the frame, the upper stop gbeing preferably made adjustable.

E E are the return-rails placed at an inclination, to which rails thecards are successively raised by the conveyer, said rails being arrangedvertically above the supporting-rails B B and made of such length as toconduct the cards to the rear of the pack.

F is a deflecting-plate arranged in position to engage with the upperfront end of the card as the latter is raised and to deiect and throw itbackward upon the return-rails E E when the pintles of the card arebrought `above the level ofthe forward ends of the said rails. Of courseany other means could be employed for throwing the card upon thereturn-rails. The card thrown upon the return-rails descends the same byvirtue of its inherent weight, assuming the approximately horizontalposition shown in Fig. 5, and on reaching the ends of the rails dropsupon the supporting-rails B B. In its transit from the return to thesupporting railsit turns through ICC pack.

In the ascent of the card its pintles may be guided and prevented fromslipping off the lips CZ d by a guide a', running-parallel with thefront a of the frame. Y

If desired,a suitablel cradle may be provided to prevent the cards fromturning askew as they descend the return-rails E E. As shown in thedrawings, it consists of two arms G G, arranged in the same plane andalong with the same in the descent of the cards, as shown in Fig. 5.When released by the pintles, the cradle is returned by a weak spring z'to its normal position against a stop h, as shown in Fig. l.

In the example illustrated in Figs. l to 5 of thedrawings Ihave shownthe device arranged to expose two cards at the same time, the one beingthe card held in its raised position and the other the card at theforward end of the The case A', into which the frame A is secured, isprovided with a window I of sutiicient dimensions to permit two cards tobe exposed, and the motion of the lifting-arms is arrested when thepintles of the raised card are a triie below the edges of thereturnrails E E. The card now remains in this position, resting upon theedge of the forward card until the latter is raisedtwhereupon the saidVraised card falls and is conducted to the rear of the pack, as before.In case the number of the cards is small and the thickness of the packdoes not exceed one-half of the depth of the case the return-rails canbe dispensed with, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this case the cardafter being lifted is deflected as before and in its fall clears thepack, and, making a half-revolution, takes its place at the rear of thepack.

It is evident that the lifting device can be actuated at determinedintervals by a connection with a clock-movement or other niotor in awell-known manner.

In the example illustrated in the drawings cutting and striking up themetal from the body of the sides of the frame. However,

it is evident that they could be cast thereon or made separate andsecured thereto in any usual manner.

It is evident that instead of raising the card from the pack it could bepermitted to fall upon return-rails arranged below the supporting-railsand then lifted from the returnrails to the supporting-rails.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a display device, a series of cards provided with central pintles,inclined rails extending from the sight-opening and adapted t0 Supportthe cards by their pintles, and a lifting device arranged to engage theforward card by its pintles and to raise it above the series, said cardbeing delivered over the series, reversed, and received at the rear ofthe series, substantially as described. pendent from a rockshaft J,which are engaged by the pintles of the cards and carriedy 2. In adisplay device, a series of cards prol vided with pintles, inclinedrails extending from the sight-opening for supporting the cards by theirpintles and feeding the same forward,inclined return-rails locatedabove' the su pporting-rails, and a lifting device adapted to engage theforward card by its pintles and to deliver the same to the return-rails,said card being reversed in its descent on the rea turn-rails anddischarged therefrom upon the g supporting-rails at the rear end of theseries,

substantially as described.

3. In a display device, a series of cards provided with central pintles,inclined rails extending from the sight-opening for supporting the cardsby their pintles and for feeding the same forward, inclinedreturn-rails, a lifting device adapted to engage the forward card by itspintles to deliver the same to the return-rails, and pivoted fingersengaging the pintles of the cards for guiding the same while on thereturn-rail, substantially as described.

4. In a display device, a series of cards provided With pintles,inclined rails for supporting the cards by their pintles and for feedingg the same forward,inclined return-rails located j above thesupporting-rails, and a lifting devicev adapted to engage the forwardcard by `its pintles to raise it from the series, which. latter iscaused to advance to bring the next f succeeding card under the first-tosupport the same in its elevated position, the subse quent lifting ofthe second card effecting the delivery of the first card to thereturn-rails, substantially as described.

I have shown the various rails formed by f In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presl ence of twowitnesses, this 14th day of January, 1891.

l HENRY S. PRENTISS.

NVitnesses:

WM. I-I. BIRKMIRE, A. FABER DU FAUR.

IOO

